The Gamers8 esports festival, backed by Saudi Arabia, has been a hub for international tournaments since its inception, but viewership trends have been quite diverse among different esports titles.
The second edition of the Gamers8 festival, named ‘Land of Heroes’, is currently underway from July 6th to August 27th in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Notably, this esports festival boasts the largest prize pool in history at $45 million.
Note: All viewership data for the festival comes from the analytics platform Esports Charts.
Related: Saudi Arabia to Host 2024 World Esports Championship
Gamers8 2023 Fortnite
The Gamers8 2023 kicked off with an intense Fortnite competition. Over four days, 44 duos fought for a prize pool of $2 million. The Fortnite event saw a peak viewership of just over 105,000. While it boasts a significant prize pool, it ranks tenth in peak viewership for Fortnite events this year. In contrast, the Rubius MadCup, organized by Spanish streamer Rubius, achieved a peak viewership of over 327,000.
Gamers8 Tekken 7
Gamers8 also hosted a Tekken 7 tournament from July 6th to 9th. Sixteen national teams battled for a $1 million prize pool. This event garnered around 44,000 peak viewers, far less than the Fortnite competition. It also paled in comparison to EVO 2023, where a Tekken 7 event reached 241,000 peak viewers.
PUBG Mobile World Invitational 2023
The collaboration between Gamers8 and PUBG Mobile developer KRAFTON led to the PUBG Mobile World Invitational 2023. The event featured 18 teams, including FaZe Clan and Team Falcons, from July 11th to 16th. With a prize pool of $3 million, it gained a peak viewership of 517,000, ranking second in terms of popularity for Gamers8 events this year.
Gamers8 2023 Rainbow Six Siege
ESL and SAFFEIS organized the $2 million Gamers8 2023 Rainbow Six Siege tournament. Eight teams, including G2 Esports and Ninjas in Pyjamas, competed from July 13th to 16th. The event drew moderate viewership compared to other R6 competitions, ranking fifth in peak viewership among 2023 R6 events.
FIFAe Finals 2023
The FIFAe Finals 2023, hosted by Gamers8 and organized by FIFA and EA, featured three tournaments with $1 million prize pools each. The FIFAe World Cup drew the most attention, with 55,100 peak viewers, making it the second-most viewed FIFA competition of the year.
Riyadh Masters 2023
The Riyadh Masters 2023, a Dota 2 event organized by the Saudi Esports Federation, showcased a $15 million prize pool and 12 notable teams. With nearly 588,000 peak viewers, it became the most-watched Dota 2 competition of the year.
Gamers8 2023 Rennsport
Gamers8 included a $1 million Rennsport tournament, focusing on sim racing. While not as popular as other esports, the event drew 14,000 peak viewers, making it the most-watched Rennsport event ever.
Gamers8 2023 StarCraft 2
The multi-stage Gamers8 StarCraft 2 event took place between August 3rd and 6th. With a combined prize pool of $500,000, the event saw 16 players compete across various stages. The SC2 Playoffs had the highest peak viewership, attracting 54,300 viewers.
Gamers8 2023 Street Fighter 6
Riding the excitement of Street Fighter 6’s release, Gamers8 organized a $1 million tournament for the game. Despite a decent prize pool, the event attracted fewer viewers compared to other Street Fighter competitions.
PUBG Global Series 2023 Phase 2
Collaborating with PUBG Corporation, Gamers8 hosted the PUBG Global Series 2023 Phase 2. With 163,400 peak viewers, it became the most-watched PUBG tournament of the year.
Related: Afro-Arab Esports League Announced at Gamers8 Festival
Gamers8 2023 CS:GO
The Gamers8 2023 CS:GO event, with a $1 million prize pool, unfolded from August 16th to 20th. Despite featuring top teams like ENCE and Team Vitality, it garnered moderate viewership compared to other CS:GO tournaments this year.
Gamers8 2023: Success Amid Controversy
The increasing involvement of Gamers8 and Saudi Arabia in esports faces criticism due to the country’s human rights track record, including LGBTQ+ concerns. The festival is organized by the state-run Saudi Arabian Federation for Electronic and Intellectual Sports, chaired by Saudi Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan.
The Gamers8 2023 festival will conclude with substantial hours watched, showcasing its diverse range of esports titles. Despite criticisms, the festival has formed significant partnerships, indicating Saudi Arabia’s growing involvement in the esports industry.
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